By Lisa de Moraes
Thursday, February 14, 2008
More news from the broadcast networks as they put back together the pieces of their writers'-strike-riddled prime-time schedules.
CBS wins the post-strike race to announce plans to return scripted series to its lineup, starting March 17 with its Monday multi-cam sitcoms.
NBC also unveiled its post-strike plans to return seven scripted shows -- five airing on one night, Thursday -- but not until early April.
NBC has ordered frosh series "Life" and "Chuck" for the 2008-09 TV season but will not try to bring them back this spring, instead focusing on "major re-launch campaigns" in the fall.
Ditto NBC's "Heroes," which will then air without repeats in the fourth quarter.
The CBS and NBC news came two days after ABC said it has picked up 10 series for next season. Most will return with new episodes this season, though three freshman dramas -- "Pushing Daisies," "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Private Practice" -- will be held to re-launch next season.
One network executive acknowledges it may be a while before viewers get back in the swing of things.
"There's a little bit of strike hangover we need to deal with," said the exec, who because of company policy didn't want to be named. "People need to know these shows are back up. When circulation was down like it was for the strike, it takes a while to wind the machine back up. Hopefully that's what some of these shows will help do."
In just under a month, on March 17, CBS's "How I Met Your Mother," "The Big Bang Theory" and "Two and a Half Men" will be back on the air with original episodes. CBS has ordered nine more episodes of each comedy.
"Rules of Engagement" will return to the lineup on April 14, when "The New Adventures of Old Christine" finishes its current run. CBS has ordered six episodes of "Rules."
"CSI: Miami" returns with the first of eight new episodes on March 24. "Cold Case" starts airing the first of five new episodes on March 30.
"Criminal Minds" and "CSI: NY" resurface on Wednesday, April 2; CBS has ordered seven more episodes of each.
The next night, both "CSI" and "Without a Trace" unveil the first of six new episodes. And that Friday, April 4, "Ghost Whisperer" and "Numb3rs" will each air their first of six new episodes.
On April 8, "NCIS" is back with the first of seven new episodes. "Moonlight" starts airing the first of four new episodes on April 11.
Mid-season drama "Swingtown," which had yet to debut, has resumed production, the network said.
Missing from the CBS lineup are "The Unit," "Cane" and "Shark," which made way for strike fill-ins "Big Brother" and "Dexter," and resuscitated "Jericho." "Shark" will produce four more episodes.
Marking the comeback of NBC's scripted fare is an hour's worth of the comedy series "My Name Is Earl," on Thursday, April 3.
One week later, "30 Rock," "The Office," "Scrubs" and "ER" will be back. "Lipstick Jungle" will complete its run in the "ER" time slot on March 20.
"Law & Order: SVU" returns April 15. The "Law & Order" mother ship plows into its stash of new episodes starting Wednesday, April 23.
Mid-season "Medium" continues its current run on Monday nights.
Fox, meanwhile, expects to tinker with its current schedule only slightly now that the writers' strike is over. The network plans to unveil a summer schedule this week.
Monday, ABC said it had ordered more episodes of "Brothers & Sisters," "Desperate Housewives," "Dirty Sexy Money," "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost," "Private Practice," "Pushing Daisies," "Samantha Who?" and "Ugly Betty."
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